by Dojyomaru
But, I don’t know... For some reason, there’s an uneasiness in my heart.
I couldn’t put it into words very well. There was a sort of premonition creeping into my breast. It felt as if Souma was slowly turning into someone he wasn’t.
“Big Sister? Is Big Brother Souma strange?” Tomoe was looking at me worriedly again.
It seemed I’d had a gloomy look on my face again. I patted Tomoe on the head. “It’ll all be okay. Souma’s not alone. He has all of us with him, after all.”
“Yes, he does!” Tomoe’s little wolf tail was wagging about energetically.
...Yes, that’s right. No matter what future awaits...
...I will walk alongside you to the very end, Souma.
Chapter 2: The Casts of Two Nations
—9th Month, 1,546th Year, Continental Calendar — Princely Capital Van.
The city of Van, in the princely capital of the Principality of Amidonia, was surrounded by high castle walls, and its architecture was without stylistic excess or ornamentation. Put in a flattering light, it could have been called austere and rugged. Termed less favorably, it was dull and monotonous. The unrefined scenery of this town closely resembled the people who inhabited it.
This country, which had lost land in a war with Elfrieden two reigns ago, had made revenge on that kingdom a national policy. What they valued above all else was the warrior ethos. Of their men, they demanded austerity. Of their women, they demanded servility to those men, as well as a feminine modesty. Because of that, there were no men laughing in the streets and no women promenading in fashionable outfits.
That was the nature of the “quiet city” Van, but recently there was a strange giddiness in the air. It had started when their neighboring country, the enemy Kingdom of Elfrieden, had gone through a sudden change of leadership.
In the 1,546th year of the Continental Calendar, King Albert of Elfrieden had abdicated his throne.
Albert, the now-former king, had been a mediocre individual, but owing to his gentle nature, he had been respected by his vassals and the people. However, also owing to this gentleness, he had not implemented the drastic policies that would have rooted out the corruption of wicked vassals. Thanks to this and a variety of other, overlapping causes, the kingdom had fallen into a slow decline.
This Albert had turned over his throne to a hero said to have been summoned from another world.
The hero was apparently named Souma Kazuya.
At the same time as Albert had entrusted the throne to Souma, he had also arranged for the betrothal of his only daughter Liscia to the new king, ensuring Souma’s hold on power. This Souma, who the throne had been turned over to, had yet to be formally crowned, but he was, in effect, the king, and had embarked on a series of political reforms.
With this sudden change of kings, there had been those who had suspected usurpation at first, but, with the support of Liscia, he had righted the wrongs of his vassals, gathered new personnel, improved the food security situation during a time of shortages, and installed a domestic transportation network to boost shipping capacity. With the steady implementation of these policies and more, Souma was gathering the support of the people. For a hero he was rather plain, but as a king, he was a superb. That was the people’s appraisal of him.
However, Souma’s reign was not to be smooth sailing in all aspects.
First, the three dukes who controlled the land, air, and sea forces of Elfrieden (there was also a force other than these, the Forbidden Army, which served the king directly) had still not sworn loyalty to Souma.
The lion beastman who was General of the Army, Georg Carmine.
The sea serpent who was Admiral of the Navy, Excel Walter.
The dragonewt who was General of the Air Force, Castor Vargas.
Ever since the change of kings, these three had taken their armies and secluded themselves in their own territories.
Because this was all taking place in another country, their exact intentions remained unknown, but it was clear that their relations with Souma were strained. In particular, there were rumors that the general of the army, Georg Carmine, had been gathering forces in his territory, making his position in opposition to Souma clear.
In addition, the nobles who had been investigated by Souma for corruption were pushing back against him.
Those engaged in serious wrongdoing had been stripped of their titles and had their lands and assets seized. Those whose crimes were even more severe were to be jailed or otherwise punished.
The corrupt nobles were not happy about this and had attempted to take their assets and flee the country. However, the borders had already been sealed, and, with no other alternative, they had gathered under Georg Carmine, who was in open opposition to Souma.
Thus, with the discord between Souma and the three dukes rising to the surface, the citizens of Amidonia were in high spirits. There were plausible rumors that King Souma had begun to raise troops to subjugate the three dukes who would not step back from their rebellious position. The kingdom was experiencing a conflict between the king and his vassals.
This was a situation that had the Principality of Amidonia watering at the mouth. It looked like an unparalleled chance to pursue their national goals, to “reclaim our stolen land” and “take revenge against that kingdom.”
Because of that, among not only the soldiers but the general populace as well, the overwhelming consensus was that: “Now is the time to invade the kingdom!”
In this militaristic state, the army came first and the lives of the people second. Priority was given to the military when funding was handed out, meaning that the people did not become more prosperous. Of course, there must have been discontent from this, but the people were taught that “all of our suffering is the fault of the Elfrieden Kingdom, who stole our land.”
Rather than direct their anger towards the politicians or the army, instead they directed it at the Kingdom of Elfrieden. No matter how badly they were misgoverned, it was always that kingdom’s fault. From a statesman’s perspective, there could be no situation that was more ideal.
Furthermore, this belief that “that kingdom is responsible for our difficult lives” led naturally to a belief that “our lives will become better if we can defeat the kingdom.” That was precisely why, given this seemingly-ideal opportunity, there was growing momentum to invade the kingdom.
Having caught wind of that momentum, bold words could be heard on every street corner.
“Finally, the time has come for us to fight that kingdom!”
“That’s right! We will bide our time no longer!”
“The brave and manly Lord Gaius will never lose to that whelp!”
“A war, huh...”
While many people were spoiling for a fight, there were also those who felt uncertain about the war that seemed to be drawing closer. They feared that they themselves, their homes, or their families might get caught up in it.
However, right now, the public sentiment in this country wouldn’t allow them to voice those worries. They had no choice but to suppress their anxiety, entrusting themselves to the flow.
One person silently watched the people from the shadows of an alleyway.
This person was wearing an ochre robe, the hood covering their head entirely, so it was not possible to see their expression. However, they were of slight build and stood less than 160 cm tall. The person sighed at the way the people of the city were acting, and then walked off at a brisk pace.
The person was heading towards a shop. From the goods in the show window, it seemed to sell men’s apparel. The sign out front read “The Silver Deer.”
The person entered the shop, and the moment they drew back their hood, two braided twintails appeared. The hood had been hiding the adorable face of a young girl.
Next, a middle-aged man with graying hair who was dressed like a bartender emerged from the back. This man had a gentlemanly demeanor and upon seeing the young girl, he greeted her with a “Welcome b
ack.”
“What did you think, Lady Roroa?” he added. “How did things look in town?”
“There ain’t no two ways about it, Sebastian... it’s terrible,” the girl said.
The girl who addressed the owner of this store in merchant slang (a fake Kansai dialect) was the first princess of Amidonia, Roroa Amidonia.
“Nearly everyone’s lookin’ forward to the comin’ war,” she continued. “They’re thinkin’ this King Souma is young and can’t keep his people in line. They haven’t even thought that my old man could possibly lose.”
“Lord Gaius is strong and manly, after all,” the store owner said.
“He just looks rugged, that’s all,” said the princess. “Even if he is strong, that’s just one man.”
Even though they were father and daughter, Roroa was merciless in her criticism. Between Roroa, who had great economic sense and wanted to use the money she had earned to rebuild the country, and Gaius, the militarist who wanted to pour the funds into military hardware, there was a wide divide in their ways of thinking.
It was sad to see such a gulf between parent and child, but Roroa, as the first princess of this country, found herself in a position where she had to do more than simply lament that fact. As one who stood above others, she had to take action to prepare herself for any eventuality.
Perhaps out of consideration, Sebastian asked in a friendly tone, “Well then, Lady Roroa, how do you read this Souma character?”
“I dunno,” she said. “The things I’m hearin’, they aren’t his personal accomplishments, they’re the accomplishments of his subordinates. That’s why he’s so hard to figure out. He does seem like a king who’s good at listenin’ to his vassals, though.”
With those words, Roroa put her hands on her hips and groaned.
“If we’re startin’ a war with someone we can’t get a good read on, that’s dangerous. That doesn’t change just because the king and the three dukes ain’t gettin’ along. Whether it’s territory, or power, or population, the kingdom’s got us beat in all three. And, of course, there’s the number of soldiers they can field, too. We’ve got ourselves a lot of mineral resources, so the quality of our equipment’s good, but... that’s about all we’ve got goin’ for us.”
With Roroa giving that pessimistic assessment, Sebastian asked, “...Lady Roroa, do you believe this country will lose?”
“I told ya, I dunno,” she said. “War’s not my area of expertise. Still, though, what I do know is that if we lose, it’s gonna be real bad for us. It ain’t just the kingdom that we’ve gotta worry about. There’s that irritatin’ theocracy to our north, the Papal State of Lunaria, and then there’s the Turgis Republic, who’re lookin’ for any opening to advance north. We’ve got an alliance with the Mercenary State of Zem to our west, but I’m not sure they’ll be much help for us if we end up on the back foot.”
The Papal State of Lunaria was the headquarters of Lunarian Orthodoxy, a religion which stood, next to Mother Dragon worship, as one of the two largest faiths on this continent. That country was ruled by the Lunarian Orthodox Pope, who was both a temporal and religious authority, and they had a system of values that was markedly different from other countries. There were many followers of Lunarian Orthodoxy in the Principality of Amidonia, and with some agitation, it was possible the state could topple their principality.
The Turgis Republic to the south was a land of frigid cold. During the long winter, their lands were buried in snow and their seas locked with ice. Because of that, in their quest for unfrozen land and warm water ports, they were always keeping an eager eye on the north for any opportunity to expand.
The Mercenary State of Zem was a unique country. They professed eternal neutrality, yet obtained mutual security guarantees by dispatching their mercenaries to every nation. They had dispatched mercenaries to the principality as well as all the rest, but... mercenaries were motivated by profit. If their country ever found itself at a disadvantage, there was no way to know how seriously the mercenaries would take the fighting.
If the worst should happen, and they were to lose, how would these three countries react?
That was what worried Roroa.
“The sentiment that’s taken hold in this country right now is the worst,” Roroa said with a sigh. “There ain’t nobody thinkin’ about what’ll happen if we lose. Even though, in the worst case scenario, we could be invaded by three of our neighbors at once.”
She thought it over, then said:
“That’s why I’m gonna do what I’m gonna do. Even if it means partin’ ways with my old man, I have to be ready if things go south...”
As she said that, she flashed Sebastian a big smile.
“So, there ya have it, Sebastian. Help a gal out, will ya?”
“...I suppose I’ll have to, won’t I?” Sebastian said with a shrug, as if trying to sound very put-upon. That was the appearance he projected, but he had already resolved himself to throw his lot in with this girl. Sometimes Roroa’s actions betrayed her youth, but she had a certain charm that drew people to her.
Sometimes, I think it’s a pity she was born a woman... he thought.
Had Roroa been able to take the throne, might this country have become a more comfortable place to live in? Sebastian couldn’t help but wonder.
As for Roroa herself, she had already moved on to thinking about the next thing.
“Well, now that that’s settled, we’re still short of hands,” she said. “I’d like to spend a little more time looking for collaborators, I think.”
“...And you have your eye on someone in particular?” Sebastian asked, having sensed something in the way Roroa spoke, and she gave him a mischievous laugh in return.
Some days later...
At his castle in the princely capital, Van, the Sovereign Prince of Amidonia, Gaius VIII, had gathered the principal military commanders of this country in the audience hall. Gaius rose from the throne, addressing the assembled commanders.
“The time is come! Let us gather our forces on the southern border with Elfrieden!”
That was the declaration that opened the war with the Elfrieden Kingdom.
Gaius had received reports that the gulf between Souma Kazuya and one of the three dukes, Georg Carmine, had become unbridgeable, and that it was only a matter of time before the two clashed. Soon enough, the kingdom would be thrown into chaos. In that chaos, they would take back the lands stolen from them fifty years ago.
“At the same time as Georg launches his rebellion, we will begin our invasion of Elfrieden!” he announced. “Our target is the grain-producing region in the south! Now is the time to take back the lands stolen from our forefathers!”
“““Hurrah!””” The gathered commanders let out a cheer.
Finally, the time had come to take revenge for their past losses against the kingdom. These commanders, who were military men to the core, couldn’t help but feel their blood boiling and seething inside them. In that environment...
“Please, wait, Your Highness!”
...a single man spoke out in opposition, walking forward to kneel before his sovereign.
It was the young Minister of Finance, Gatsby Colbert.
With his rare sense for economics, he had been entrusted with the post of Minister of Finance despite only being a young man in his mid-twenties.
While Roroa’s talent lay in spending money to get the economy moving, Colbert specialized in eliminating wasteful spending and freeing up funds that way. While they took different approaches, these two worked together to cut what needed cutting and to spend where spending was needed. They were the ones who were just barely keeping this country’s economy from tumbling over the brink.
“Oh, it’s you, Colbert.” Gaius turned a stern eye on him. He was clearly displeased.
When Gaius, a man who even generals who had survived many battles feared to anger, turned that gaze on Colbert, a mere bureaucrat, Colbert began to tremble. Still, he worked up the courage
to offer his advice.
“I say this with all due respect, sire,” he managed. “Please, reconsider invading Elfrieden! The people of our nation are suffering from a food crisis and a poor economy! If we start a war now, our people will starve!”
“I know that,” the king snapped. “That’s why seizing the grain-producing region is so urgent.”
“Wars require a vast expenditure on the part of the state!” Colbert protested. “If you have that much leeway in the budget, you ought to be able to import food from abroad! Rather than fight a war we don’t know if we will win or lose, and which, even if we do win, we don’t have any guarantee our efforts will pay off, isn’t this the time when we should build our strength and...”
“Silence!” Gaius roared.
He walked over to the bureaucrat and kicked him hard enough to send the man flying.
“Urkh...”
As he looked down at Colbert sprawled out on the floor, Gaius had a look of rage on his face.
“You domestic affairs ministers always say the same thing! Work on domestic affairs, now’s not the time for this, that’s all I ever hear! Look where that’s gotten us! It’s plain to see how exhausted our country is! Yet, in contrast to us, that kingdom, despite stagnating somewhat under the fool who was their last king, have begun to rebound with this new king coming to the throne!”
“Th-That’s because... the new king, Souma, has been working to enrich his country...”
“You’re still saying that?!”
Gaius kicked Colbert across the floor once again.
Perhaps he had gotten a cut in his mouth, because there was blood streaming from the corner of Colbert’s lips. Even so, Colbert didn’t stop speaking.
“Your Highness... The total manpower of Amidonia’s army is around half that of Elfrieden’s army. This is just... just too reckless a plan!”
“I know that without some lowly civil servant telling me so!” the king roared. “That’s precisely why now, with the king and the three dukes in conflict, we have an opportunity!”